No Ace of Hearts
by statkika12
Summary: A year after the debacle that cost him his position in the military, Ace London still hasn't learned his lesson, putting the life of his new boss' daughter in danger.  Baloo saves the day as always.
1. Chapter 1

**No Ace of Hearts**

Part 1

Ace London sighed as he finally got his last delivery of pickles to Bart's Deli.

"Here, you go, Bart, last of them gherkins for you."

Bart continued flipping his paper behind the counter and didn't bother looking up. "Just put 'em in the corner by the others."

"Ok, well, see you next week. Good luck at the hoedown." Bart grunted.

Then,suddenly, something made him look up and he saw Ace trudge out the door. For some reason unknown to him he felt sympathetic to the fallen pilot. "Ace, wait. Eh, wanna have dinner with the fam tomorrow, Friday night? Ya know, my twin boys don't know the story yet; they still think you're a hero."

Ace didn't know what to say. He didn't expect any sympathy from anyone anymore and would definitely never have expected it from a gruff, intimidating fellow like Bart. Finally, he stuttered. "Sssure . . . that would be nice."

Bart found a crumpled piece of paper somewhere behind his counter and a pen and wrote down an address. He extended his large hand to give Ace the piece of paper. "Here ya go. I'll let the wife know you'll be there around six. Does that work for you?"

"Yeah, that works." Ace replied quickly. "Thanks, Bart. See you tomorrow."


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2

The next day, he arrived at the address given to him the previous day. He came upon a modestly small but presentable house at the end of the block and approached the doorstep. Ringing the doorbell, he heard a myriad of children's voices and scurrying from inside.

"Kids! Kids! Settle down! I think our guest has just arrived." said a high-pitched but pleasant voice. Just then, a beautiful, curvy, blond lady cat opened the door. She looked just like the famous actress, MariLynx Monroe, and if Ace didn't know any better, he would thought it was MariLynx herself! And for the life of him, he didn't know how a beautiful woman like that ended up with an overweight, brutish slob like Bart.

"Oh hello. I'm Mary, Bart's wife." she extended her right hand to Ace while holding on to a chubby baby girl who appeared to be one-and-a-half-year-old with her left arm.

"Why, hello, ma'am, and I am . . . "

"Ace London, we certainly know who you are!"

He took Mary's hand and shook it; he then kissed it quickly and afterwards gave her a small wink. Mary slightly blushed and giggled; she evidently was unphased by the recent scandal and no doubt that the small signs of infatuation from such a beautiful woman gave him a much needed boost of confidence.

"Would you please come in?" Mary said as she entered their living room, while still holding her daughter. "Please sit down, Mr. London."

"Ace . . . please call me Ace." Ace began to sit down but suddenly jumped up as he felt something bumpy on the couch.

"Oh no, I'm sorry, Mr. Lon . . . err, Ace. Danny! Jimmy! Come down here and pick up your toys!"

"Yes, mom." Ace soon saw two nine-year-old twin boys race down the stairs who stopped in their tracks as soon they saw him. "Whoah! Ace London in our house!" exclaimed Danny.

"You got that right." Ace said grinningly for old time's sake.

"Hey Ace! Is it true that . . . "

"Now, Jimmy, there will be plenty of time to talk to Mr. London after dinner." Mary interrupted her son. "I now need you and your brother to clean up these toys and wash up. And send your sister down; I need her to help me set the table." "Yes, mom." The boys sighed in unison. They then gathered their toys and hurried upstairs on their mother's command as Mary turned back to Ace and smiled.

"I'm so sorry about that."

"Oh that's quite alright; so I take it those are the twins?"

"Yes, Daniel and James." Mary for some reason decided to state their formal names. "And this right here is Lisa. Lisa, can you say hi?" The little girl just murmured, however, and buried her head into her mom's chest. "You have to excuse Lisa, Mr. Lon . . . Ace, as she's a bit shy around strangers."

"Quite alright." Ace smiled.

"By the way, my husband and our oldest son are just coming back from the train station where they are picking up our oldest daughter. She's just coming back from spending a semester in France. She goes to Cape Suzette University, but she got a scholarship to this famous art school - I dunno - but she is very talented and very smart."

"And I'm sure very beautiful like her mother." "Oh, Ace, your flirting ways are certainly as legendary as your flying. Too bad I'm already spoken for." she laughed.

"But, anyway, would you like something to drink? I just made some iced tea."

"Oh that would be very nice, thank you. So how many children do you and Bart have?"

"Seven. Three girls and four boys." Mary answered.

Seven? Ace wondered to himself. Mary certainly looked good for having seven kids; but maybe it was Bart who had them, he thought to himself chuckling.


	3. Chapter 3

Part 3

Just then, the front door opened and Ace instantly recognized the hulking figure coming in as Bart's.

"Oh, hey, Ace; when did you get here?"

"Six on the dot, like you told me too." "

I see. And ya didn't make any moves on my wife, did ya?"

"No, not much; he was a gentleman . . . for the most part." Mary raced out from the kitchen to greet her husband. She stood up on her toes as he bent down and lowered his head so that they could meet to kiss. Little Lisa's shyness then seemed to have disappeared as she saw her daddy and extended her little arms to him. She then began to giggle when he started tickling her belly with his thick fingers.

"And I assume you met this little pipsqueak too."

"Yes, I have." Ace said. Ace was a bit surprised to see this side of Bart; he never thought that someone like him would like children, much less have children of his own and be so good with them.

"So where's Mandy and Bobby?" Mary asked Bart.

"There, they are!" Bart answered as he pointed towards the door. In came in the Samson two eldest children, the daughter, about eighteen, and son, about sixteen, almost being images of their mother and father, respectively. Bobby, although not as tall as his father and not having such a protruding paunch, was quite a strapping young man with broad shoulders and a thick neck. He was carrying two large suitcases that obviously belonged to Mandy. And then there was Mandy . . . with her blond hair and big blue eyes . . . she was even more beautiful than her mother, if that was possible.

"Ace, this is my son Bob and my daughter Mandy." "So Ace," Bobby started a little menacingly.

"When's the last time you got the milit . . ." "

Quiet, boy!" his father shut him up quickly. "Your mother and I taught you to treat guests better than that! Now go put your sister's luggage in her room. Ace, ya gotta excuse my son. He's a good kid, but too much of a jokester sometimes. But also one heck of a football player, already being scouted by several colleges."

Bart then smiled proudly. "Ya know, I was quite a letter man myself back in the days before . . . " then he paused for a second. "And this is my daughter, Mandy. Now, she's the smart one! She just got back from Paris where she was studying art at the Love Museum."

"That's Louvre, Dad." Mandy smiled as she corrected her father.

Just then, the twins came back down and were followed by a round-faced, young girl, who appeared to be twelve-years-old.

"Nancy! There you are! I have been waiting forever for you to help me set the table."

"Sorry, mom." Nancy replied.

"Don't worry, mom, I'll help too." Mandy chimed in.

"Mommy!" a young voice moaned from upstairs.

"Oh, that's Charlie, our four-year-old son. Poor thing has the flu and has been stuck in bed all day, so unfortunately he won't be joining us." Mary said, as she handed Lisa over to Mandy. "Coming, sweetie." she then called as she went upstairs.


	4. Chapter 4

Part 4

In a while, Mary came back down and dinner soon began and all through the meal, Ace was fixated on Mandy who sat across from him at the table. Bart also seemed to notice this and became a little unnerved. After dinner, the family and Ace retired to the living room, except for Bobby who excused himself to go out with some football buddies after dinner.

"Yes, I remember Paris, sipping wine by the riverside, gazing at the stars from the Eiffel Tower, definitely the most romantic city in the world, as they say." Ace started all the while looking at Mandy. Noticing this, Mandy blushed and looked down. "And nothing beat flying over it." he continued. "Say, Mandy, if it's alright with your folks and since the night is still young, would you like a ride around the Cape?"

"Oh, I don't know if that's such a good idea." Bart answered, a little apprehensive about Ace's intentions regarding his daughter. "

Oh, I'm sure they'll be fine!" Mary replied. "Mandy, you should go; it'll be fun!"

"Um, okay, mom, thanks. Yes, I think I'd like a ride." Mandy shyly answered. Then she turned to Bart. "Dad?"

Bart was still reluctant, but at the same time, didn't want to disappoint her. "Oh, alright. But just around the Cape."

"Dear, she just got back from France! I think she and Ace can handle themselves around this area." Mary laughed.

"You're right, hon." Bart answered his wife and smiled.

"Can we go too?" The twins then asked.

"No. It's time for bed for you two. Now go upstairs and get ready." Their mother sternly replied.

"Awww." they moaned. 

"Hey! Stop whining and listen to your mother." Bart reprehended them.

"Yes, sir." they answered and went upstairs, followed by their sister, Nancy, and Mary, who went up to check on Charlie and to also put Lisa to bed.

While Mandy then went to get her coat, Bart stood and up and walked over Ace, towering over him.

"You take good care of my girl now, or you'll have me to answer to." he said calmly but in a tone that indicated he meant business.

"She'll . . . she'll be fine, Bart; I'll have her home as soon as possible, safe and sound." Ace nervously tried to reassure him.

"Okay, I'm ready." Mandy said as she came back done.

"Alright, sweetheart, just be careful." Bart wrapped his large arm around his daughter and then gently kissed her forehead.

"I will, dad; see you later." And the two then left for the docks where Ace had his plane.


	5. Chapter 5

Part 5

It wasn't long after they made it up the air, when Ace started showing off his tricks. All the spinning made Mandy dizzy but she soon found herself laughing. "This is fun!"

"Isn't it, kid?" Ace grinned. "Stick with me and we can go on several such adventures." he then said with a wink.

As Mandy looked around, however, she noticed that the Cape was quite a distance away. "Wait . . . we're quite far from the shore. Is it safe here?"

"Safe? Kid, you're more than safe with Ace London at the controls!"

"But what about the pirates? Don't they roam these neutral waters?"

"Pirates? What about 'em pirates? You're worrying too much, dollface. Just sit back and relax and let ole Ace take care of you." Ace looked at Mandy as he was talking, while Mandy turned her head to look straight ahead and saw a large vessel coming towards them.

"Ace! Look out!"

"The Iron Vulture." Ace instantly recognized the vessel. "Hold on, Kid; this might get rocky." Ace swerved just missing the vessel and then went around the entire Vulture.

Inside the Iron Vulture was the one and only Don Karnage and he was not very amused. "And who is dis fool who dares to dare the Great . . . " Suddenly, he saw the plane from his window and knew exactly who the perpetrator was. "Men, to your guns. Let us see how the not-so-great-anymore Ace London can handle our ammo with his little pickle plane."

Ace and Mandy then heard two shots in the air. "What's that?" Mandy asked.

"Oh, nothing, just the the tough guys being tough guys." Just then, they received a radio signal from the pirates.

"So, you zink you can really outfly the Great Don Karnage, yesno?"

Suddenly, Ace's eyes narrowed and he began to sneer. "I'll say yes!"

Mandy then looked over to see the scary look in Ace's eyes and became frightened. She could have sworn that he almost became possessed. "Ace . . . Ace, no! Let's just calm down and call the coast guard and . . . "

"We don't need no stinkin' coast guard, babe. I got this!"

Next thing Mandy knew, they were flying straight towards the Iron Vulture. Mandy shrieked and closed her eyes; the next time she opened them, she noticed they were above the Vulture and Ace began laughing maniacally. "Ace, please don't do that . . . I'd . . . I'd like to go back now if we can."

"What's the matter? You just said you're having fun!" At that moment, the Iron Vulture appeared to be gone.

Mandy, however, was sobbing hysterically and shaking. "Please, Ace, let's just go back."

Ace became angry over Mandy's reaction and decided to turn back after all. "Ok, fine crybaby! I'm going back! Happy?" He started huffing as they turned to head back to the Cape; looking ahead, his eyes widened, however, as he noticed the Vulture up ahead.

"What the . . . " Ace nevertheless decided to speed up and make a break for it. He planned to fly under the belly of the Iron Vulture and then glide on the water between the cliffs to the shore.

He sped up the plane and looked intensely forward. The pirates, however, must have been onto his plan, as the Vulture began to lower.

"Ace, look above; they want to crush us!" Mandy shrieked.

"Oh, just shut it . . .I know what I'm doing!" Ace yelled back at her.

Suddenly, they heard another plane zipped across on top of the Vulture, as if distract the pirates in the huge vessel. "What . . . no! No one makes a fool of the Great Don Karnage!" He then radioed the second plane. "Surrender! Surrender! To the Great Don Karnage!"

He then ordered his pirates to turn the giant vessel around to follow the second plane. By this time, Ace was able to make it between the cliffs and land at the dock.

After a few minutes, the second plane, which was able to dodge the Vulture's gunfire with some elaborate maneuvers also flew through the cliffs and landed behind Ace. Ace looked back and instantly recognized the second plane as the Sea Duck. "Oh, great." he mumbled, rolling his eyes.


	6. Chapter 6

Part 6

Mandy couldn't stop shaking even after they landed. Ace opened his door, and soon heard shouting from the plane that landed behind them.

"Ace! Shoulda known it was you! Of all the stupid, careless, . . . " Baloo marched right to Ace's cockpit and then noticed Mandy sitting in the passenger seat. "And you got a passenger with you too? Wait a minute . . . you're Mandy. Amanda Samson, Bart's daughter. Are you okay, hon?"

"She's fine." Ace answered.

"What do you mean she's fine? Poor girl is as pale as a ghost!" 

Mandy then looked at Baloo and said "I . . . I want to go home now."

"That's fine, sweetie, we'll get you home." And with that, Baloo opened the passenger door and held out his hand to help Mandy get out.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing? I'm supposed to take her home!" Ace exclaimed.

"Ace is right. If he doesn't take me home himself, my dad will get suspicious." Mandy replied.

"Well, will you feel comfortable going back with him?" Mandy couldn't answer. "You know, we could also call a cab to take you home and I could ride with you. Your folks wouldn't have to know who dropped you off."

"Why, thank you . . . maybe that's for the best." Mandy agreed.

"But, Mandy, I . . . " Ace started but Baloo quickly shut him down.

"Shut it, Ace! You did quite enough today." Soon, a cab came to pick up Mandy and Baloo to take Mandy home. "What's the address, hon?" Baloo gently asked her.

"123 Hemingway Ave." she quietly answered.

Baloo turned to Mandy as they sat in the backseat and smiled in hopes of calming her nerves. "So how are your folks doing?"

"My dad can't ever find out; he'd kill Ace. Ace would lose his job for sure." Baloo was slightly taken aback by Mandy's concern for the welfare of the man who just put her life in danger.

"Yeah, your dad can be quite an intimidating guy sometimes. I remember last year when I delivered that jet contraption instead of those pickles to him; boy, was he mad! I was afraid he would rough me up real good! And a big guy like him really could do some damage too!" Baloo laughed. "But deep down, I know that he's a good man and he loves your mother and you kids very much."

"That's all the more reason not to tell him; I just don't want to worry him."

"Alright, hon, your secret is safe with me." Baloo answered her in a quiet tone and put his hand on her small shoulder. Soon the cab arrived at the Samson residence, and Mandy got out of the cab.

"Thanks, again, Baloo. I really appreciate all your help." Mandy said as she turned around.

"No problem, sweetie, just try to get a good night's rest, okay?" And with that the cab drove away.

As Mandy approached the front door, the porch light came on and the door opened. Bart was there to greet his daughter.

"So I see you guys returned home using a cab."

"Yes." Mandy replied quickly.

"You okay? How was the flight?" Mandy hesitated a moment, as she didn't know how to answer.

"It was alright, dad." she lied. "I'm just tired and want to turn in already." "Alright then." Bart answered.

"Mandy, wait. I . . . I just am a little worried about you and Ace. I mean you have book smarts, but he . . . well, a guy like him probably has a girl at every port he lands at. So just be careful if you continue seeing him, okay?"

"Don't worry about that, dad." And indeed Bart didn't have to worry as Mandy wasn't planning on seeing Ace again after tonight.

"It's just that . . . well . . . before we knew we were having you, I was planning to go to college on my football scholarship and your mother was planning to go to nursing school . . . but then . . . everything changed. And we'd never regret having ya or your brothers or sisters but I have to say it was tough. Starting a family that young and trying to give them everything is not easy. So we just want you kids to try to not rush into things and really think hard about what's best for you."

Mandy then approached her father and gave him a hug. "I love you, daddy. You did give us everything. Thank you." she whispered.


	7. Chapter 7

Part 7

By this time, Mandy's nerves were calmer. She was safe at home and Ace and the pirates appeared to be a million miles away.

"Well, gotta go to the drugstore and pick up some medicine for your brother. Your mother called the doc who came to check up on your brother shortly after you left with Ace. He gave us this prescription for something that Charlie has to take in the morning. Poor lil guy is trying his best just to hang in there. Tell your mom I'll be back shortly." 

"Okay, I will." Mandy smiled slightly as Bart reached for his hat and coat and headed out the door. Mandy then went upstairs; as she passed her brothers' room, she noticed that Charlie was not in his bed.

She then hurried to her parents' room and noticed that her mother was fast asleep with Charlie cradled in her arms. Trying not to wake her, Mandy started to make her way to her bedroom when the floor underneath slightly creeked.

"Mandy? Is that you?"

"Yes, mom." she said softly as she entered her parents room.

"How was your date, dear?"

"Okay." Mandy decided to lie again. 

"Did your father leave to pick up Charlie's medicine already?"

"Yes, he'll be back shortly."

Mary didn't answer; she was fast asleep again. Mandy then took a blanket from the foot of the bed to cover her sleeping mother and brother. She kissed Mary on the cheek and then headed to her own room.


	8. Chapter 8

Part 8

The following week, Mandy's nerves were eased quite a bit, as she was helping her father at the Pickle Hoedown. Bart had another successful victory and decided to celebrate by taking his entire family out to dinner that night using the money from his first place winnings.

Charlie, who was finally feeling better, had his appetite back and surprisingly ate a huge portion of a quarter-pound steak burger. "That's my boy!" Bart laughed. 

With things getting back to normal, Mandy further decided to get her mind off Ace by helping out at her father's deli for the rest of her spring break before she had to go back to school.

As she and her father were checking his stock, Bart mumbled. "Roast beef."

"What, dad?"

"Roast beef . . . we're running low on beef here. Mandy, I need you to man this counter for a few minutes, while I'm out back."

"Alright, no problem, dad."

As Bart left to get the meat from the freezer in the backroom, the door opened and who came in but none other than Baloo. "Mandy! Good to see you again. Helping out your old man today?"

"Yes. Just for this week before classes start again. My dad just stepped into the backroom but he'll be back shortly." Mandy replied with a small smile. " So what'll be?"

"A turkey club and a gag order?"

"A what?"

"Well, you can't let my boss Becky know I'm grabbing a bite at a client who dropped us."

"Oh, alright. Your secret is safe with me." Mandy winked. "Speaking of secrets,thanks so much for the other night. I don't know what got into Ace and I became really scared."

"Don't worry about it; the important thing is that you got home safely."

"Well thanks again, because if my father ever found out . . . "

"Found out what?" Bart emerged and dropped his heavy boxes by the doorway. From the look of Bart's face, Mandy and Baloo knew that Bart just heard enough to figure out the gravity of situation.

"Oh, hi Bart." Baloo said nervously. "How've you been?"

"Found out what? Baloo, what is my daughter talking about?" "Oh nothing, it's just . . . "

"Baloo, please, . . . as a father yourself . . . ya wouldn't want anyone to keep a secret about Kit from ya, now would ya?" Bart approached Baloo and looked him straight in the eye.

Mandy then slowly began walking towards her father. "Um, well." she started. "The other day when Ace took me on the flight, he . . . he went a little overboard and we ended up in neutral waters. Then . . . then the pirates came and Ace, I guess, just wanted to show me how he could outmaneuver them. We then started flying back to the Cape, thinking we lost them, when all of a sudden we saw that the pirates were blocking the entrance.

"Baloo must have seen them and distracted them long enough until we flew to safety. He then flew in after us to make sure we were alright. He . . . he saw that I was too shaken to go back home with Ace, so he called a cab and took me home himself."

"Ace did what?" Bart whispered. He then shouted. "That idiot! I'll kill him!"

"Dad, no! I'm okay! Nothing happened!"

Just then, Ace came back from his last delivery. "Okay, Bart, so here are the new orders from . . . " he then noticed Baloo from the corner of his eye and became a little anxious. "Oh, Baloo, what are you doing here?"

Before Baloo could answer, Bart rushed out from the back of the counter, charged at Ace, pinned him against the wall, and started choking him. "You! What the heck were you thinking! You coulda gotten Mandy killed!"

"Bart, stop! He's not worth it." Baloo tried to pry Bart away from Ace, but it was of no use. He knew Bart was much stronger than him and in his anger, his strength appeared to double.

Mandy then ran to her father's side and tried to grab a hold of his forearm. Bart was as enraged as ever but as soon as he felt Mandy's gentle touch, he calmed down a bit and let go of Ace.

Ace dropped to the floor and started gasping for air. "I'm . . . I'm so sorry, Bart." he said when he finally was able to catch his breath. "It will never happen again."

"Oh, you bet it won't." Bart answered through clenched teeth.

Ace then struggled to gather the papers that he was holding before Bart grabbed him from the floor and clumsily got up. "Now . . . now . . . and these orders . . . "

Bart took a deep breath and then replied. "No, that won't be necessary. I think I'll be going back to Higher for Hire. I just can't work with a man who woulda put my daughter's life in danger like that."

"But . . . but Bart; I told you - it won't happen again and . . . "

"No! I want you out of my deli and away from my family, especially from Mandy! If I ever see you so much as on the same street as her, you won't be as lucky as you were today! Got it? Now go!"

And with that, Ace decided to leave the deli as fast as he could. Bart took another deep breath and then turned to Baloo. "Tell Becky to put me back on her client list. I'll be calling in with some invoices on Monday."

"You got it, Bart." Baloo answered.

"Oh and anything you want is on the house today . . . least I can do to thank you." Bart said in a lowered voice.

"Anytime, big guy, anytime." Baloo responded with a smile.

Bart then turned to face his daughter. "Mandy, back to work . . . and when we get home, we'll have to have a long talk about keeping secrets from your pop."

"Yes, sir." Mandy answered with a quick grin and went back to checking her father's invoices.

Meanwhile, Ace went back to sulking at Sally's; his stupidity again cost him another job and his pride, and, this time, a girl he possibly loved. To add insult to injury, Sally just put a plate on the counter ready for one of her other customers.

"Pastrami on rye." she announced. "With a pickle on the side."


End file.
